State Journal

Tangle in Texas

Members of the Texas board of education have spent a lot of time
lately exchanging allegations about religious extremism and claims of
federal meddling in local schools.

And that has some observers there wondering how the board is going
to meet its summer deadline for adopting K-12 standards, called Texas
Essential Knowledge and Skills.

Six board members backed by conservative religious groups say the
draft standards are not only weak, but also have been influenced by
national models and represent an unwanted federal intrusion. They
aren't about to be rushed into backing something they oppose.

"We've put our feet down, and we have the truth and the people on
our side," said Donna Ballard, a second-year Republican member of the
elected board.

Board President Jack Christie, also a Republican, is on the other
side. He defends the state's decision to seek guidance on its standards
from the Washington-based National Center on Education and the Economy,
a nonprofit group devoted to improving schools and training.

"There's no evil person doing this," he said. "Intelligent people
are developing these standards."

But he's having a harder time these days being diplomatic with the
fractious, 15-member panel of eight Republicans and seven Democrats.
"We have big issues on our table, and we don't have time for conspiracy
theories of the federal government taking over our schools," Mr.
Christie said, referring to some of the claims made by Ms. Ballard and
her supporters.

News organizations have devoted extensive coverage to a videotape of
Ms. Ballard speaking at a Fort Worth church in February. On it, a state
official from the Christian Coalition, a conservative group, asks
viewers to protest the standards to Gov. George W. Bush. The office of
the GOP governor tallied nearly 3,000 calls in response to the
tape.

Ms. Ballard said last week that she is not promoting a religious
agenda. "I think it has only muddied the waters so that we can't have
healthy debate," she said of such allegations.

Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, a Democrat, said recently the state board is
not focusing on children. He told reporters he wants to "kick this
bunch out and start over again."

Ms. Ballard responded sharply: "To say that we are too conservative
because we don't kneel at his liberal doorstep is exactly why voters
all over Texas elected us to the board."